Q: We still use a paper calendar in our house. Do you have any suggestions for our family of 5 when it comes to making the calendar work for us?
A: I see people use paper calendars more often than electronic versions, particularly for families with young children. Some people are just not ready to make the switch and struggle using both electronic and paper combined.
Here are a few ideas that will help you make the most of your paper calendar:
- keep only one paper calendar!! Some folks make the mistake of trying to manage more than one calendar and will inevitably miss writing down an appointment or double book a time slot.
- keep your calendar in a visible place where everyone in the family congregates. The kitchen fridge works for us. This will get your entire family more involved with their schedule.
-to help appointments stand out visually on your calendar - I suggest using a different color highlighter pen for each family member. Young children can relate to their appointments through these visual cues.
-use the calendar to mark down all those timely "to do" items rolling around in your head, such as giving the dog his heartworm pill each month, when it's time to change the furnace filter, look ahead and write down on the calendar when you need to schedule your car inspection, etc.
-take some time to write in your calendar all of the scheduled days off for school, early release and conference dates. Doing this now will give you time to plan ahead for child care, if necessary.
-if you do use an electronic calendar, you can print off a paper copy to share with your family and post it month to month.
Getting Your Life in Order!
~S
